Of course, the marriage vetting required only political background checks — and Xu Qianjin’s investigation from months earlier had been thorough enough. Facts and circumstances do not shift in a matter of months. But private lives… those were different. He should have looked deeper. It was, he admitted, a lapse on his part.
Xu Qianjin added firmly: “I shall ensure it is thorough — every last detail.”
At the word ensure, Lu Qinian arched a brow. “Are you certain you can sustain what that word truly implies?”
Xu Qianjin knew exactly what he meant: the woman Lu Qinian had encountered, the one whose name he still did not know.
A month earlier, Lu Qinian had been on a mission tracking enemy agents. He had been drugged. In a mountain cave, he had lost control and lain with an unknown woman. When he woke, she was gone. He had ordered Xu Qianjin to search for her in secret — nearly a month, and not a single clue. Truth be told, Lu Qinian knew nothing about her — not even her name.
Thinking of all his fruitless labour, Xu Qianjin snapped: “You have the face to say that? I am beginning to suspect you dreamt the whole thing! Woke up and decided to torment me chasing a phantom! Not one shred of information — what am I even supposed to look for?!”
Silence fell — heavy, awkward silence. At the very least, Xu Qianjin felt it deeply awkward. Realising he had spoken too sharply, he hurried to soften his tone:
“I know the drug you were given. It can scramble memory, blur recollection, even erase whole stretches of time. None of this is your fault. But I am no miracle-worker! No name, no description, nothing at all — I am a dog trying to bite a hedgehog with nowhere to sink my teeth!”
“But rest assured,” he promised. “Whether Comrade Jiang Yuan carries a child — and whether she keeps close company with any man — I shall uncover every detail.”
More than any of that, Lu Qinian burned to know what truly brought Jiang Yuan to his door.
Song Yuhua was the sort who remembered every slight and never, ever yielded. She lived by one stubborn rule: what falls must be picked up from exactly where it fell. Until she had repaid Jiang Yuan for every humiliation suffered, she would not dream of sending her away. And so long as she remained — there would be more attempts to humiliate her.
That night before bed, Jiang Yuan locked her door — and then dragged a table and chair across to barricade it securely. Let Aunt Liu knock and shout as she might — Jiang Yuan pulled the covers over her head and did not stir. No water would be poured over her that night.
Whether Aunt Liu grew hoarse or Song Yuhua relented, the next two days passed in peace. Jiang Yuan slept late each morning and went out exploring. She found Wang Yajuan — and found several promising ways to earn money. Every single one, however, required capital. And the little money she carried was barely enough for snacks and comfort. To start a business? Pure fantasy.
Lu Qinian and Lu Ze were away from home both days. Song Yuhua had gone out playing mahjong with the other wives in the compound. Only Aunt Liu remained.
She sat on the sofa cracking melon seeds, glanced at Jiang Yuan with undisguised contempt, and sneered: “Well! Look who’s back! I half-expected you’d crawled into someone else’s bed and never returned!”
Jiang Yuan’s lips curved. She matched Aunt Liu’s tone perfectly. “Well! Look who’s keeping watch! I half-expected your mistress would have taken you along to play!”
“How dare you imply I am a dog!” Aunt Liu shot to her feet, trembling with rage.
“How can you say such a thing?” Jiang Yuan looked the very picture of wide-eyed innocence. “You spoke to me in that tone just now. I assumed that was how polite city folk addressed one another. I merely returned your words in the same spirit — and now you say I called you a dog? How unfair!”
“…” Aunt Liu choked, face turning purple.
“To accuse me so unjustly… even a dog would take offence. Though to be fair — you are not quite a dog. There is still some difference.”
The meaning was plain: you are worse than a dog.
As if on cue, a large German Shepherd bounded in from the courtyard. He trotted straight to Jiang Yuan’s feet, sat down, and tilted his head — looking up at Aunt Liu with calm, intelligent eyes. Aunt Liu felt a chill creep up her spine.
This was Dashun — Great Prosperity — a retired military dog Lu Qinian had adopted. When Lu Qinian was home, he took Dashun running every morning. When away, Song Yuhua had Aunt Liu lock him in the kennel out of laziness. Jiang Yuan had named him Dashun — because when people asked where she was going, she could answer: “Walking Dashun.” Walking Dashun — may all go smoothly. What better omen?
Every evening since she arrived, Jiang Yuan had brought him treats. She let him out to run and play in the yard. A German Shepherd is a thinking creature — a dog among dogs, a Shepherd among Shepherds. He knew who fed him, who treated him kindly. Without a moment’s hesitation, he stood firmly on Jiang Yuan’s side.
He looked utterly composed — I am reasonable, you need not fear me — yet Aunt Liu stepped back, trembling. “Who gave you permission to let him loose?! If he vanishes, Division Commander Lu will have your skin!”
Jiang Yuan crouched and scratched Dashun behind the ears. She chided him gently: “See how you’ve frightened Aunt Liu? Nearly frightened her into wetting her trousers. Naughty boy. For punishment — run twenty laps around the yard.”
Dashun nodded solemnly, glanced back at Jiang Yuan — will you bring me treats tomorrow? — and, receiving a confirming nod, bounded happily away.
Jiang Yuan paid no mind to whether Aunt Liu had actually wet herself. She looked around deliberately and said: “Where is Song Yuhua? Out playing cards again? She lectured me only yesterday — a woman’s reputation is everything. Coming and going as I do, early and late… people might whisper terrible things. They might call me names and I would have no defence. Yet when Division Commander Lu and Lu Ze are away — out she goes, dressed so finely, gadding about. What must the neighbours say about her? Surely far worse names than they would say of me. Aunt Liu — do advise her when she returns. Tell her she must not stray from the path of virtue.”
Jiang Yuan went upstairs. She knew perfectly well Song Yuhua would come for her at dawn. So she did not barricade the door — merely locked it carelessly.
And sure enough — before dawn, the lock was being picked.
The familiar routine. The instant water was about to fall — Jiang Yuan ducked her head deep beneath the covers. A basin of water crashed against the bed — soaking quilt and pillow, but scarcely touching Jiang Yuan. Only the very tips of her hair were damp.
Song Yuhua, wild with rage, turned to fetch more — only to have the basin snatched cleanly from her hands.
“You shameless hussy! What do you think you are doing?!”
Jiang Yuan smiled — bright, beautiful, and utterly wicked. “Returning the courtesy, of course.”
She turned and ran downstairs to the bathroom, filling the basin brim-full from the tub. Song Yuhua stood barely five feet two. Jiang Yuan, five feet five and strong, lifted the basin high, stood on tiptoe — and poured the entire contents over Song Yuhua from head to toe.
Song Yuhua stood stunned, dripping, shivering. Then her face twisted — not with grief, but with triumph. “Jiang Yuan — you are finished! If I do not drive you from this house today, I shall take your surname!”
“Take my surname?” Jiang Yuan arched an eyebrow. “Does that mean you wish to become my father’s granddaughter? You are barely forty, yet you look much older than your years. If you appeared claiming to be his granddaughter — older than he is! — I fear he would disown you. Poor thing. Choose another name.”
Song Yuhua snapped completely. She ground the words out between clenched teeth: “Jiang Yuan — wait. I shall make sure you die a wretched death today.”
Jiang Yuan folded her arms and offered cheerful concern. “By all means — do hurry. It is terribly cold outside. Do take care not to catch your death.”
Lu Ze was the first to return. He walked in to find Song Yuhua huddled in a wooden rocking chair by the window, soaked from head to toe, shivering violently. The window had been thrown wide open — bitter wind howling in, turning her teeth to chattering ice.